My Simulated Road to Immortality

Chapter 289: 269: Treasures to Replenish Divine Soul

Translator: 549690339

The auto-protection feature of the [Real] acted like a heavy anchor, securely grounding Li Fan atop the ocean of thoughts.

This ensured he wouldn’t be swirled away by the extremely realistic illusions and prevent his psyche from adversely affecting his physical body.

At the same time, Li Fan did not let down his guard.

He kept his eyes glued on the charging number of the [Real]

The moment the progress drops, Li Fan planned to activate the Real immediately and return to his anchor point.

With ample mental preparation, Li Fan quietly awaited the changes the [Mind Steed] would bring next.

The speed at which the wounds were surfacing became faster and faster.

But Li Fan always held true to his faith.

No matter how many wounds appeared on him, even if he had become increasingly weak due to the grievous injuries.

He simply continued to observe the charging progress in front of him, unmoved.

After a long while, it seemed that due to his inability to be intimidated by these injuries.

A new change occurred.

A flame ignited from the corpse of the [Mind Steed].

At the same time, Li Fan also felt an unbearable heat descend onto his body.

“Ah…”

He couldn’t help but let out a low groan.

He even saw his own body slowly turning to ashes in the flames.

“It’s all fake, all fake…”

The charging progress of the [Real] remained motionless.

This suggested that there were no fatal dangers at all.

Everything was just an incredibly realistic illusion.

Li Fan affirmed this belief in his heart.

The raging flames continued to flicker.

Li Fan also struggled and suffered in indescribable agony.

After an unknown period of time, the lengthy agony finally slowly receded.

When the corpse of the [Mind Steed] on the ground was completely incinerated, the illusion entwining Li Fan finally disappeared.

Looking at himself in the mirror again, he had returned to his human appearance.

Furthermore, Li Fan felt like he had strengthened somewhat.

Not physically, nor in terms of cultivation, but in terms of his divine soul.

Li Fan took time to perceive the changes within himself.

“If one’s spiritual sense is compared to a person’s muscles, then spiritual sense can be continually enhanced through acquired exercise and cultivation.”

“But the divine soul is like a person’s skeleton, which has been predetermined at birth. Only special methods, such as breaking through in cultivation and the influence of certain heavenly treasures, can strengthen it.”

“Ordinary methods simply cannot impact it.”

“And now, I feel that my ‘skeleton’ has noticeably grown a size larger.”

This feeling of getting stronger was something Li Fan hadn’t experienced for a long time.

Even the sensation brought about by elevation to a minor realm in his cultivation couldn’t compare to this.

If he really had to compare, only the success he achieved in introducing qi into his body and establishing his foundation, the accomplishment of climbing a major realm, could be on par with it.

After some testing, Li Fan found that even though his cultivation had not increased.

However, due to the influence on his spiritual sense, there was indeed a significant increase.

And his train of thought seemed to flow more smoothly.

“The [Mind Steed] really is an amazing treasure!”

“Although the way of achieving it is a bit strange, the effect is indeed not bad.”

The fear for it was naturally gone from his heart, replacing it was an irresistible greed.

“The Heart Ape and the Mind Horse.”

“The Heart Ape is transformed from a cultivator. If I’m not mistaken, it seems that this [Mind Steed] should have also emanated from a cultivator.”

When he recalled the [Mind Steed] corpse that looked exactly like him just now, Li Fan had a sudden guess.

“I have the [Real] to help me cheat, so I was able to survive the impact of the [Mind Steed] so easily.”

“But if one’s will isn’t so firm and they indeed die…”

“The last [Mind Steed] probably died in this way.”

“So, Zhang Zhiliang’s intention became clear.”

“It’s both a reward and a test.”

“If one can’t even pass the test of the [Mind Steed], it proves that they are not qualified to represent the Misthaven Ocean and inherit his Zhang Zhiliang’s unique skills. If they die, then they die.”

“Ah, after promotion to God Transformation, Zhang Zhiliang’s mentality really is different from before.”

“Previously, when I was only at the stages of Refining Energy, I received his special care and was taught the [Infinite Technique].”

“Now…”

At this point, Li Fan couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.

He then sent Zhang Zhiliang a report message.

Zhang Zhiliang was also slightly surprised that Li Fan could digest the [Mind Steed] so quickly.

“Hmm? It seems your will is even more tenacious than I imagined.”

“Very good! You are the first among the three of you to achieve this.”

“Take this as a reward.”

With that, Zhang Zhiliang sent an object through the TianXuan Mirror.

This object was a glowing white cube, the Array Crown that Li Fan had been coveting for a long time.

Upon receiving it, Li Fan couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised.

He repeatedly thanked him, saying, “Thank you for your generous love, Grandmaster.”

“I gave you this Array Crown. There are a hundred different array techniques stacked inside. You can disassemble and research them in your free time.”

“If you can build a Thirty Overlapped Formation Crown by yourself, you can be called an Array Master.”

Zhang Zhiliang instructed.

“The enhancement effect of [Mind Steed] on the divine soul does not just exist for a while. For a long period of time, it will nourish the divine soul to a certain extent.”

“During this period, you should focus on quietly cultivating and avoid conflicts with others.”

“Maximize its effects.”

“Hehe, you may have noticed that the [Mind Steed] was also a cultivator while it was alive.”

“And the one I gave you was a Golden Core Cultivator in its previous life.”

“If you can fully absorb its effects, doubling the strength of your divine soul should not be a problem.”

Li Fan hadn’t expected this benefit and quickly expressed his gratitude to Zhang Zhiliang again.

Zhang Zhiliang, however, closed the communication and did not reply.

“A Golden Core Cultivator…”

“Once fallen, they cannot escape the fate of becoming someone else’s meal.” Li Fan shook his head to himself.

Li Fan suddenly remembered the smiling faces he had seen on Taian island.

“The Smiling Face Fruit then seemed to only affect the Mortal Island. If there are cultivators that were transformed into Smiling Face Fruits, would there appear fruits with even stronger functions?”

“Both the Smiling Face Fruit, the Heart Ape, and the Mind Horse are intrinsically human transformed beneficial foreign objects…”

” I wonder if there’s any connection between them?”

Li Fan always felt that there seemed to be some kind of secret hidden in it, giving him a peculiar feeling.

Unfitting.

Yet somewhat familiar.

After thinking for a while, the blue crystal in his spirit consciousness was constantly gleaming. Past experiences surfaced in his mind scene after scene.

Finally, Li Fan realized where this familiar feeling came from.

“Sect ruins, strange?”

Li Fan thought for a while, feeling somewhat uncertain.

However, this law which is inconsistent with the current cultivation rules, defies logic, and seems to be completely divergent, is passed down in the same vein.

“It’s said that the strange phenomenon only exists in Sect Ruins.”

“If the two are truly related, what does that imply?”

Li Fan thought of the time when he was at the Tiantong Hall for an investigation behind the Blue Ox Cart of the sage.

Standing in front of that giant map of the Misthaven Ocean, the frail cultivator had said.

“Another one?”

Li Fan vaguely guessed something.